Is Marzuki Alie Aware of His Controversial Statements?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - A statement made by House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Marzuki Alie on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has drawn strong reactions from various parties.

Reactions to Marzuki’s statement proposing the dissolution of the KPK and forgiveness for corrupters came among others from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), politicians, even the House factions, and religious figures. Due to the statement, a number of NGOs grouped in the Civil Society Coalition urged the ruling Democrat Party on Monday to dismiss Marzuki from his post as House speaker.

"Marzuki has made a misleading statement proposing the dissolution of KPK and forgiveness for corrupters. As House speaker he should not have made such a statement," Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) spokesman Emerson Junto said at a press conference at the Legal Aid Institute office here on Monday.

The Civil Society Coalition is made up of among others ICW, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute, Indonesia Legal Aid Institute Foundation (YLBHI), Imparsial, and ELSAM. Emerson said Marzuki had several times made controversial statements in relation to developing issues from the disaster in Mentawai, migrant workers, and the dissolution of KPK.

He added that Marzuki was unwise in his statement that should not have come from the chairman of the institution supposed to represent the Indonesian people

"Marzuki’s statement does not represent the aspiration of the people but of the DPR and even the ruling Democrat Party," Emerson said.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Legal Aid Institute Director Nurkholis Hidayat said Marzuki’s statement would even worsen the image of DPR in the public’s eyes, and lead to public distrust in the state institution. According to Nurkholis, the statement made by the House speaker could be considered as support for corrupters who would obviously be the most happy if the KPK was liquidated.

"Marzuki’s statement contradicts the public’s desire to maintain the KPK and to give the strongest possible punishment to corrupters," Nurkholis said.

Besides calling for Marzuki’s dismissal from his post as House speaker, the Civil Society Coalition also asked all House factions to issue an official statement rejecting the idea of dissolving the KPK and forgiving corrupters.

"The KPK as as an institution should be maintained because it is still needed in the efforts to fight corruption s in Indonesia," Nurkholis said.

Meanwhile, political observer Tommy Legowo called on the members of parliament to follow the steps of various public elements who protested against the Marzuki’s statement in a bid to save the credibility of the DPR.

Tommy said the position as House speaker was the mouthpiece of all members of parliament and therefore they should protest against the proposal to dissolve the KPK and forgive the corrupters in an effort to save their their effort to save their face and credibility before the people.

Although Marzuki has admitted that it was his personal opinion, what he has said would certainly have a negative impact on the image and credibility of all members of parliament.

"I think if the members of parliament are aware that their honor and credibility are now at stake because of Marzuki’s performance, they have no choice beside forcing him to resign from his post as House speaker," Tommy said.

Therefore member of Golkar faction at the DPR, Bambang Soesatyo said on Monday that if Marzuki’s statement was based on his own interest, then it was time to build a cross-faction support for a no-confidence motion against the House speaker. But Bambang said Golkar faction at the DPR for the time being did not plan to issue an official protest against Marzuki’s statement on the dissolution of the KPK and the forgiveness of corrupters.

"Anyway we deeply deplore the statement spoken by Marzuki Alie because we are embarrassed to have such a leader," Bambang said.

On a separate occasion, secretary of National Mandate Party (PAN) faction at the DPR, Teguh Juwarno said he was really disappointed by the statement made by Marzuki. Teguh said he could not blindly accept the statement of the House speaker.

"The discourse on the issue of resolving the KPK and forgiving the corrupters should not be interpreted as the wishes the House of Representatives," Teguh said, adding that all 43 members of PAN faction at the DPR were considering an official protest over Marzuki’s statement.

Meanwhile, Bishop Council of Indonesia (KWI) Secretary General Father Benny Susetyo said Marzuki’s statement showed that he was not a statesman.

"We miss a figure of statesman who thinks of the state and nation. The figure who makes such a statement is inappropriate and unfit to be a House speaker," Benny Susetyo said at a press conference at Jakarta Legal Aid Institute office on Monday.

Benny said the ruling Democrat Party should rebuke its cadre, Marzuki Alie, who made such a controversial statement. Otherwise, he said the public would question the party’s commitment to eradicating corruption in Indonesia.

Ironically, presidential spokesman Julian Aldrin Pasha said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has not discussed nor responded to Marzuki’s controversial statement about the dissolution of the KPK and forgiveness for the corrupters.

"There is a growing discourse about the dissolution of the KPK but I have not been able to convey something because there is nothing from the president that can be delivered," Julian said at Presidential Palace complex on Monday.

Although President Yudhoyono has yet to respond to Marzuki’s statement, Julian admitted that the head of state since 2004 has expressed support for the eradication of corruption.

"In essence, the president has asserted since 2004 to wage war against corruption, and it remains unchanged and consistent to date; and there is no reason to question the commitment of the president," Julian said.